[casi] coalition of the coerced

From: "Rania Masri" <rania@DELETETHISnc.rr.com>

Subject: [casi] coalition of the coerced

Date: Wed, 26 Feb 2003 10:48:39 -0500

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PRESS RELEASE
February 26, 2003
Contact: Sarah Anderson
tel: 202/234-9382x227
Email: saraha@igc.org
IPS RELEASES REPORT ON U.S. ARM-TWISTING OVER IRAQ WAR
(Washington, DC, February 26, 2003). As U.S. officials intensify their
arm-twisting offensive to gather support for a war on Iraq, the Institute
for Policy Studies is releasing a new study today that examines the specific
levers of U.S. military, economic, and political power.
The study, entitled "Coalition of the Willing or Coalition of the Coerced?,"
looks at how this leverage applies to each current member of the UN Security
Council. It also analyzes the power the U.S. government exerts over the
broader group of countries that the Bush Administration has dubbed the
"Coalition of the Willing." Although the Administration
refuses to release a list of the members of this coalition, the authors
compiled a list of 34 nations cited in press reports as supporters of the
U.S. position on Iraq.
Major findings:
. Although the Bush Administration claims that the anonymous
"Coalition of the Willing" is the basis of genuine multilateralism, the
report shows that most were recruited through coercion, bullying, and
bribery.
. The pursuit of access to U.S. export markets is a powerful lever for
influence over many countries, including Chile and Costa Rica, both of which
are close to concluding free trade deals with the United States; African
nations that want to maintain U.S. trade preferences; and Mexico, which
depends on the U.S. market for about 80 percent of its export sales.
. The populations of the countries in the so-called "Coalition of the
Willing" make up only about 10 percent of the world's population. Opponents
of the U.S. position currently include the leading economies of four
continents (Germany, Brazil, China, and South Africa).
. President Bush could make or break the chances of Eastern European
members of the "Coalition of the Willing" that are eager to become members
of NATO. In order for these nations to join the military alliance, Bush
must ask the Senate for approval.
The authors of the 13-page study include: IPS UN and Middle East expert
Phyllis Bennis, IPS Director John Cavanagh, and IPS Fellow Sarah Anderson.
According to Bennis, "It's hardly a new phenomenon for the U.S. to use
bribes and threats to get its way in the UN. What's new this time around is
the breathtaking scale of those pressures -- because this time around,
global public opinion has weighed in, and every government leaning
Washington's way faces massive opposition at home."
The study is available at: www.ips-dc.org/coalition.htm .
Institute for Policy Studies
733 15th St. NW #1020, Washington, DC 20005
Tel: 202/234-9382, Fax: 202/387-7915
www.ips-dc.org
.
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